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America's 10 Richest Neighborhoods

When it comes to the United States, it seems that the Americans' income stretches from extreme poverty levels to extravagant lifestyles of the rich and famous. Throw a dart at a map of the United States and you won't hit two areas that have the same value or resident income. Of course, the States are a melting pot; not only of different cultures, but also of different incomes. But just as cultural diversity can lead to segregation, so too income diversity leads to notable societal divisions. If you're living in wealth and luxury, you're likely to want to be surrounded by like-minded people who live similar lifestyles. But where do the financially privileged people congregate and call home?

The Higley 1000, a site which studies racial integration in America's wealthiest neighbourhoods, recently released a list of the richest neighborhoods in the United States. Based on median income and home value, Higley calculated the richest living areas in the States based on census data from the American Community Survey 2006-2010. The list of 100 neighborhoods was compiled by professor emeritus of urban geography at the University of Montevallo in Alabama, Stephen R. Higley.

What are the top ten richest neighborhoods and what does the money look like? The answers are here, and the locations just might surprise you. The list focuses on small localities, on the total average income across neighborhoods, which has impacted the results quite significantly. If you're wondering why Manhattan isn't on the list, believe it or not, the median household income in neighborhoods like Midtown total about $434k...

10 Greenhaven, Rye, NY - $540,403 Median Household Income

Rye is located in Westchester County, New York and sits just south of Greenwich, Connecticut. With two beaches and 14 miles of coastline, the neighborhood of Greenhaven is known for their higher taxes - about 23% higher than the rest f Rye - as well as for having a rigorous and prestigious schooling system. The neighborhood has mainly colonial and Tudor style homes and is often considered to be a village.

Southern California is typically known for having a more expensive real estate market -from prime locations near the beach to living next to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, the high-income neighborhoods here are coveted. The neighborhoods of Pelican Hill and Pelican Crest sit within the area of Newport Beach along the Pacific Coast, which means a prime location on the beach. These homes are specifically built to have 180-degree views of the ocean and each neighborhood has about 100 homes.

Okay, so having more than one neighborhood from the same area of California really shouldn’t be a huge surprise to our readers given the cost of living and average price of a home there. The neighborhoods of Cameo Shores and Cameo Highlands are actually located right across from each other and each host about 150 homes. The neighbourhoods offer private and gated beaches as well as a private park called Roxbury. Many of the houses still offer that 180-degree view of the ocean and single level terraces for easy maintenance.

This area of Washington, D.C. was founded in 1910 and was named after the former publisher and owner of the Washington Post, John Roll McLean. Of course, it’s not uncommon for housing around the nation’s capital to be much more expensive than in the rest of North America. This community is located northwest of downtown D.C. Swinks Mill and Dominion are actually exclusive roads within the neighborhood, meaning that the regular Joe can't just take a walk down these elite streets. The neighborhood also boasts as a railway stop that takes workers from Virginia to the capital.

This neighborhood of East Lake Shore is not only rich in money, but also rich in history. The buildings on the street were built between 1912 and 1929 and France, England, and Italy inspired the styles. The neighborhood was tangible evidence of the boom in wealth in the early 20th century, pre-stock market crash. In total, there are eight buildings in the neighborhood, built by Benjamin Marshall and Charles Eli Fox. Both men were known for building luxury hotels and pristine apartment buildings in their time.

Back down near the nation’s capital is the neighborhood of Carderock just west of Bethesda along the Potomac River. The neighborhood is best known for the warship design central to the Carderock Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center. The neighborhood is well known for the plethora of outdoor activities available like rock climbing, water sports, professional golf, and a nearby pool - so you can enjoy the great outdoors without leaving the luxury of your neighborhood.

This Floridian neighborhood dates back to the 1870’s and boasts homes that are comparable to castles along the 14.9 miles of road with scenic views and trimmed landscapes that even make the street on “Leave It To Beaver” look a little sloppy. With the median household income nearing 600k, the homes in this neighborhood are valued in the millions and show no sign of decreasing in value anytime soon.

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3 Potomac Manors, Potomac, MD - $599,331 Median Household Income

When you think of a “manor” you're probably thinking of something stuffy along the lines of Downton Abbey. But the buildings of Potomac Manors are quite the opposite. These hip 'manors' aren't too far away from the nation’s capital - in reality, just a short commute away. With only 42 homes that sit on up to 2 acres of land, these homes are valued in the several million dollar region and are zoned in the area of the highest ranking schools in the country including Winston Churchill High School - which probably means a good amount of Ivy league acceptance letters are winging their way to Potomac Manors.

The neighborhoods of Bradley Manor and Longwood are located northwest of the nation’s capital along the Capital Beltway, so it might be safe to assume there are a good number of politicians living in the neighborhood. Longwood is especially known for the variety in lot sizes as well as custom built homes, meaning you won’t find a uniformed style of house in this neighborhood but instead an array of unique buildings. The area is family friendly and an ideal place to raise children with a private Catholic school nearby as well as a country club pool complex.

Even though Connecticut is a smaller state, it doesn't mean that the wallets of its residents are small and meager. The Golden Triangle is an area that takes up almost two-thirds of the town’s geography, meaning that the neighborhood is almost a town within itself. With beautiful landscapes, country roads, gorges, waterways, forests, and meadows, the Golden Triangle is an ideal place to live for the wealthy with large lots available - up to two acres -where families have room to build a dream home and then some.